Which verse should be used when answering questions on R&S?

Question

Proverbs 26

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you will be like him yourself.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.

Answer 1

The bible amounts to a circular reference--redundant and useless.

I say get rid of it and read books of logic and philosophy that make sense.

Answer 2

Proverbs...wise sayings of HEATHENS that found it's way into a collection of religious books

Wisdom = Sophia / Shekinah

use your own experiences

Only around a thousand of Solomon's proverbs are collected in the book of Proverbs and were maintained by divine inspiration and preservation. King Hezekiah's men collected some of Solomon's proverbs only 200 years later (compare Proverbs 25:1). Also Solomon has probably not compiled all proverbs but taken over already known proverbs by the wise (compare chap. 22:17; 24:23). The same implies for the "appendix" in Proverbs 30 and 31 where the name of Agur and Lemuel appear. Solomon has therefore more likely collected the words of these men than just added them later. Solomon reigned around 970 to 931 BC and Hezekiah (in whose time many ancient things came to honour) around 716 to 687 BC. This fixes the beginning and the end of the book's origin.

Answer 3

The Book of Proverbs is advice to a foolish son and it is not scripture:

"The books of the Word are all those which have the internal sense; but those books which have not the internal sense, are not the Word. The books of the Word, in the Old Testament, are the five Books of Moses, the Book of Joshua, the Book of Judges, the two Books of Samuel, the two Books of Kings, the Psalms of David, the Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: and in the New Testament, the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and the Apocalypse. The rest have not the internal sense" (Arcana Coelestia n. 10325 or Heavenly Doctrine n. 266).

Answer 4

I think you have a problem with reading well.

You are reading these two verses as if they flow together and have some conjuction in between. Also this version uses the word "or" where a better interpretation of the Scripture would be "and".

The first verse says that if you answer a fool foolishly, you too will be made the fool. The second verse says if you answer a fool foolishly you will seem the fool and he will seem wise.

Answer 5

Luke 9:5

And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

Answer 6

“The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” - Mark Twain

Answer 7

4. But its fun.

Answer 8

Don't answer the questions you find foolish--only answer those you find sincere.

Answer 9

i GUESS IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE QUESTION..